Zoloft (Sertraline) week 3 HELP!

When i started on this med i was the same as you, thought to myself that there is no way that this is going to help me. One person on this forum told me that the side affects was a sign that the meds are working. . I use to take mine at 9 a.m. but would wake up with anxiety, so i figured that the zoloft was waring off so i started to take it at 11 AM. This time seems to suit me better. Some people do take at night and others in the morning. When ever you increase the amount you will have side affects. But they dont last long. I know what your thinking, when your having them it seems like forever. I am upping mine this July to 75. Yours 25 is a very low dose. You said your doctor upped it. How high?. You are probably over thinking the med which is causing more anxiety. You wonder how i know this. Because i was the same, and I'm sure alot others did the same. I hope i helped alittle. If u need anything else answered about my experience. I am happy to reply. 😎

I know what you mean. It is scary . Have you consulted your doctor about the side affects you were getting when you upped your dose. I know i didnt get any side effects until the beginning of my 2nd week, than all heck broke loose. I think you are having side affects because your med is finally getting into your system. This med is slow acting ,that is why it can take up to 6-8 weeks to feel like an improvement. Let your doctor know your fears about this med, he might be able to give you something to help with your anxiety. I was prescribed ativan, and boy did that help. Good luck and hang in there.😎

What you are saying sounds exactly like most people’s experience. I was started

on 50 and then upped to 100 which I’m still on just now. In both cases it was the 2nd/3rd day in particular that I felt the worst. I had considered stopping but knew I had to think of the logterm. It was explained to me almost like antibiotics. Sometimes we don’t think they are working but you need to finish the course. Other times we think it’s all fixed and finish early but that doesn’t help either. We need to stick to whatever course the doctor prescribes. 

I still have anxious days and I have some other rotten side effects. But the debilitating depression, the actual panic attacks and the thoughts of not wanting to be alive anymore have for the most part gone. 

When I was at my worst with the tablets I hated reading people saying just give it time, but unfortunately it’s true. A good doctor is a must too, one

you can talk to. It also helped for me

opening up fully to someone about what’s going on, in my case my girlfriend at the time who is now my wife. Having her on board helped immensely. Also sometimes because of certain side effects I’d miss a couple of days but she would always notice the change and tactfully ask me if I’d taken my tablets. That had helped too. 

Ultimately we are our own worst enemy. In our minds we are waiting for side effects so we read into every little ache, pain, bad nights sleep and crappy day. Have confidence in the tablet and your doctor. If you have a really bad day when upping a dose stay in, but don’t let that last too long. The tablet helps but we need to meet it halfway by keeping busy. 

It does get better. Please don’t quit the tablet until you’ve given it a proper chance. Listen to your doc. 

Hope you have a good day. 

Kris

I did yes. My anxiety worsened too. It took about 2 weeks to think I was starting to get better. Then my dose was upped and it started again for about 2 weeks. If I miss a dose for a couple of days I’m worse again when I come back on them. It seems that it gives your brain an overdose almost of the serotonin that it needs until your brain adjusts to the new level. Until it does the side effects can be quite bad.

I went to the docs every 2 weeks for the first 2 months to update him and he changed or kept the dose the same depending on what I said. I’m at 100 just now. Try to only up a dosage if they say so. When do you next go to the docs?

Kris

Kris, I’m new to Zoloft, (medication in general) & started 5 nights ago and have taken 25 mg 4 of the 5 nights (I took 50mg one night.)

I’m supposed to start at 50mg tonight but my anxiety is crazy right now. Pure O thoughts are going wild and my appetite is terrible. My doctor said that 4-6 weeks should have me feeling much better, but I’m worried bc my pure o thoughts haven’t been this bad in years! 

Please offer any positivity! 

Really sorry to hear that. It’s difficult to hear others tell you just to hang in. It’s such a cliche that time helps and I struggled when people told me that at the start. All I can say is when I started taking the tablets (first time ever for me too) I had real strong throughts about ending things, they were becoming crippling. The first couple of weeks of the pill, and every time I upped a dose, I would be super anxious. I had other bad side effects too. 

Now, I’m 4 months in. I’m on 100mg. I still have bad days but I’m not stuck in the house anymore. I just got married 3 weeks ago, something I never thought I’d be able to do again, and my wife is very understanding. I tell her everything about what I’m going through. The doctor wants to keep me on this dose for at least another 3 months. We will see then what to do. All I can say Hope is to keep in touch with your doctor, have someone to confide in and give it a bit more time. Take matters into your own hands too. When thoughts arise, go for a walk, read a book. I found exercise helpful. 

If you have any questions if I can help answer I will. 

Kris 

Kris